Phylogeography of New Zealand’s coastal benthos

During the past 30 years, 42 molecular studies have been undertaken in New Zealand to examine the phylogeography of coastal benthic invertebrates and plants. Here, we identify generalities and/or patterns that have emerged from this research and consider the processes implicated in generating genetic structure within populations. Studies have used various molecular markers and examined taxonomic groups with a range of life histories and dispersal strategies. Genetic disjunctions have been identified at multiple locations, with the most frequently observed division occurring between northern and southern populations at the top of the South Island. Although upwelling has been implicated as a cause of this disjunction, oceanographic evidence is lacking and alternative hypotheses exist. A significant negative correlation between larval duration and genetic differentiation (r2 = 0.39, P < 0.001, n = 29) across all studies suggests that larval duration might be used as a proxy for dispersal potential. However, among taxa with short larval durations (<10 days) there was greater variability in genetic differentiation than among taxa with longer pelagic periods. This variability implies that when larval duration is short, other factors may determine dispersal and connectivity among populations. Although there has been little congruence between the phylogeographic data and recognised biogeographic regions, recent research has resolved population subdivision at finer spatial scales corresponding more closely with existing biogeographic classifications. The use of fast-evolving and ecologically significant molecular markers in hypothesis-driven research could further improve our ability to detect population subdivision and identify the processes structuring marine ecosystems

\u3ci\u3eMylanodon rosei\u3c/i\u3e, a New Metacheiromyid (Mammalia: Palaeanodonta) from the Late Tiffanian (Late Paleocene) of Northwestern Wyoming

Mylanodon rosei is a new genus and species of late Paleocene metacheiromyid palaeanodont from a new late Tiffanian locality, Y2K Quarry, in the Clarks Fork Basin, Wyoming. The type is an adult dentary with P4 and a molariform double-rooted M1. This provides the first evidence that molariform teeth were retained in early Metacheiromyidae. A second specimen is a juvenile dentary with a partial P3 and an unerupted P4. This is the first juvenile dentition known for a Paleocene metacheiromyid. The new specimens enable determination of dental homologies. Reduction of teeth in early metacheiromyids took place from back to front, opening the characteristic posterior diastema. Both Mylanodon and Propalaeanodon, a slightly older metacheiromyid, are intermediate morphologically and temporally between the older Tiffanian epoicotheriid Amelotabes and the younger Clarkforkian and Wasatchian metacheiromyid Palaeanodon. Propalaeanodon has a single-rooted M1, a derived characteristic not found in Mylanodon, suggesting that two lineages are involved and Propalaeanodon was not ancestral to Mylanodon

In Situ Measurement of the Aerosol Size Distribution in Stratospheric Solid Rocket Motor Exhaust Plumes

The concentration and size distribution of aerosol in the stratospheric exhaust plumes of two Space Shuttle rockets and one Titan IV rocket were measured using a two component aerosol sampling system carried aboard a WB‐57F aircraft. Aerosol size distribution in the 0.01 µm to 4 µm diameter size range was measured using a two component sampling system. The measured distributions display a trimodal form with modes near 0.005 µm, 0.09 µm, and 2.03 µm and are used to infer the relative mass fractionation among the three modes. While the smallest mode has been estimated to contain as much as 10% of the total mass of SRM exhaust alumina, we find show that the smallest mode contains less than 0.05% of the alumina mass. This fraction is so small so as to significantly reduce the likelihood that heterogeneous reactions on the SRM alumina surfaces could produce a significant global impact on stratospheric chemistry

Spatial and seasonal variability of metocean design criteria in the Southern South China Sea from covariate extreme value analysis

This paper describes spatial and seasonal variability of metocean design criteria in the southern South China Sea. Non-stationary extreme value analysis was performed using the CEVA approach (Covariate Extreme Value Analysis,[1]) for a 59-year long SEAFINE hindcast of winds and waves, estimating metocean design criteria up to 10,000-year return period. Wind design criteria are mostly driven by large-scale monsoonal events; at higher return periods infrequent cyclonic events have strong influence on the tail of the extreme value distribution but confined to a limited geographical area. The CEVA analysis of waves showed much less dependence on the tropical cyclone events; the spatial metocean design criteria were smoother, mostly influenced by the monsoonal wind strength, fetch and local bathymetry. Return value estimates illustrate the strong seasonality of metocean design criteria, with boreal winter (December-February, Northeasterly monsoon) contributing most to the extremes, while April and May are the mildest months. Estimates for the ratio of 10,000/100-year return values are also presented, both for winds and waves. There is empirical evidence that the range of “typical” values of generalised Pareto shape parameter observed for Hs is different to that observed for wind speed. For this reason, an upper bound of +0.2 for generalised Pareto shape was specified for wind speed analysis, compared to 0.0 for Hs. In some cases, increase of upper bound for waves to 0.1 is justified, leading to slightly more conservative Hs values. We confirmed that the upper end point constraint was not too influential on the distributions of generalised Pareto shape parameter estimated. Nevertheless, it is apparent that specification of bounds for generalised Pareto shape is a critical, but problematic choice in metocean applications

Genome Sequence of Geobacillus stearothermophilus DSM 458, an Antimicrobial-Producing Thermophilic Bacterium, Isolated from a Sugar Beet Factory

peer-reviewedThis paper reports the full genome sequence of the antimicrobial-producing bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus DSM 458, isolated in a sugar beet factory in Austria. In silico analysis reveals the presence of a number of novel bacteriocin biosynthetic genes

Mylanodon rosei, a new metacheiromyid (Mammalia, Palaeanodonta) from the late Tiffinian (late Paleocene) of northwestern Wyoming

385-399http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48666/2/ID533.pd

Appendicular bone mass and knee and hand osteoarthritis in Japanese women: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that there is an inverse association between osteoarthritis (OA) and osteoporosis. However, the relationship of bone mass to OA in a Japanese population whose rates of OA are different from Caucasians remains uncertain. METHODS: We studied the association of appendicular bone mineral density (second metacarpal; mBMD) and quantitative bone ultrasound (calcaneus; stiffness index) with knee and hand OA among 567 Japanese community-dwelling women. Knee and hand radiographs were scored for OA using Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) scales. In addition, we evaluated the presence of osteophytes and of joint space narrowing. The hand joints were examined at the distal and proximal interphalangeal (DIP, PIP) and first metacarpophalangeal/carpometacarpal (MCP/CMC) joints. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), stiffness index was significantly higher in women with K/L scale, grade 3 at CMC/MCP joint compared with those with no OA. Adjusted means of stiffness index and mBMD were significantly higher in women with definite osteophytes at the CMC/MCP joint compared to those without osteophytes, whereas there were no significant differences for knee, DIP and PIP joints. Stiffness index, but not mBMD, was higher in women with definite joint space narrowing at the CMC/MCP joint compared with those with no joint space narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: Appendicular bone mass was increased with OA at the CMC/MCP joint, especially among women with osteophytes. Our findings suggest that the association of peripheral bone mass with OA for knee, DIP or PIP may be less clearcut in Japanese women than in other populations